Friday, January 3, 2014

New Beer Friday, New Year Edition (January 3)

Whiskey on New Beer Friday? Yes.

By Chris Siciliano

For the first time ever, two wholly individual editions of New Beer Friday are appearing on The Buzz in the very same week. (Click here to see this week's first NBF.)Two New Beer Fridays? But how could that be? Is it a glitch in the time-space continuum, an egregious error by one Buzz writer still reeling from the festivities of a particularly raucous New Year's Eve, or is it just a happy result of the way the holidays fell on the calendar this year?

Whatever the case, we hope it's a sign of things to come. After all, you can't have New Beer Friday without new beer, and the fact we have enough this week for two NBFs suggests that health, vibrance and variety are hallmarks of the current craft beer scene in America.

Here's to another great year in Beer City, USA.

New and Returning Beer (and Whiskey)

Sam Adams Cold Snap, $1.69/12oz - "Stirring from the haze of winter, this refreshing unfiltered White Ale awakens its smooth wheat with the bright snap of spring spices. From the subtle sweetness of orange peel and plum to the peppery bite of fresh ground coriander, the blend of spices creates just the right refreshing kick to signal that spring is on its way" (source).

Smutty Nose Finestkind IPA, $1.69/12oz - "Smuttynose IPA is a physical salute to the glory of the American hop grower. The citrusy hop flavor coming from a mixture of Simcoe and Santiams is pleasantly balanced by a smooth bitterness from the Amarillo hops. The beer itself is light bodied and crisp with a golden color that will throw a slight haze, as we bottle it unfiltered. At 65 IBU’s, this is definitely not a training-wheels IPA, but is meant for hop lovers looking to satisfy their craving in a way that’s not easy to find. We think they’ll be quite pleased" (source).

Dogfish Head Burton Baton, $4.09/12oz - "The elusive brew is made from pilsner malt and amber malt with an original gravity of 26.5?P, yielding an 11% abv. It's hopped with Warrior and Glacier varieties. Primary fermentation takes place in open vessels using two yeast strains, one American and one English. For added complexity, the beer is conditioned on barrel staves of French Oak for four months before being dry hopped with Glacier at the rate of a half-pound per barrel. This elixir is then blended 50/50 with 90 Minute IPA. After blending, the beer will measure 80 IBU and 10% abv. Bottled in corked bottles through Michael Jackson’s rare beer club by late November 04 and available in 12 ounce full distribution in early January 05" (source).

Dogfish Head My Antonia, $10.19/750ml - "This here beer is a lagerific departure for our ale-centric brewery. A marriage of old world tradition and new world innovation, My Antonia is brewed with pilsner malt and continually-hopped with a blend of Noble and West Coast hops" (source).

High West Distillery, Park City, Utah - "High West Distillery crafts spirits for people who want great taste and appreciate quality ingredients, small batches, and the owner’s personal touch. We use the best local, mountain ingredients and distill in a traditional copper pot still. Our passion is making products that are so exceptional you’ll come back for more and hopefully tell your friends about us" (source).

Son of Bourye, $41.90/750ml - "A blend of straight Bourbon and rye whiskies, sure to attract even the most finicky of jackalopes. The bourbon (mashbill: 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% barley malt) is a minimum of 5 years old. The rye (mashbill: 95% rye, 5% barley malt) is a minimum of 5 years old. By the way…Son of Bourye® is best enjoyed around a campfire while looking at the Milky Way."

Double Rye, $36.96/750ml - "Marriage of two straight rye whiskies that combines the feisty properties of a high rye 2-year-old and the saddle smooth richness of a 16-year-old. The 2-year-old has a 95% rye 5% barley malt mashbill. The older rye has a "barely legal" rye mashbill of 53% rye and 37% corn. The extra age and corn provides some extra sweetness to calm the "bite" of the younger rye for a relationship that works."

Rendezvous Rye, $51.45/750ml - "Rendezvous® Rye is a blend of two exotic straight rye whiskies; one old, and one young. It marries the rich aromatic qualities of a 16-year-old rye with the bold spicy properties of 6-year-old rye to create a full flavored, very complex whiskey. The 6-year-old boasts an uncommonly high 95% rye mash bill. Almost every other straight rye whiskey you can buy today is barely legal, with 51-53% rye in the mash bill. Not Rendezvous® Rye. It honors the way rye whiskey used to be made, with a high rye content and full, uncompromised flavor. With Rendezvous® Rye, you get a taste of authentic rye whiskey. We hope you enjoy it."

American Prairie Reserve, $41.90/750 - "The liquid in this bottle is a premium blend of Bourbons, one of America’s native spirits. It’s a great sipper and thinking whiskey. High West pledges to donate 10% of our after tax profits from the sale of this bottle to the American Prairie Reserve."